Benalla special store sale hosts 4600-head of sheep

Rodwells livestock agent Dale Buitenhuis, Benalla, said the Friday sale, with 4600-head of sheep, was "up there" with the rest of Victoria after strong local support and good-quality ewes.

"I was pretty happy with the sale, the tops of our ewes have made as much as the Bendigo and Corowa sale, and it held on the whole way through," he said.

"I think you could find some cheaper stock further afield into New South Wales but there's a big freight component that comes with that.

"Considering where our lamb and mutton prices are, there's never a better time to change over and buy some younger sheep."

He said most sheep would travel within an hour and a half of Benalla, similar to previous sales.

Vendors were mostly from Benalla and neighbouring towns, with some travelling down from New South Wales.

"And a few that are brought in from some of our guys that buy them as a ewe lamb and bring them back in as a one and a half year old ready for joining," he said.

Mr Buitenhuis said first-pen vendors, Tony and Anne Mort, had topped the Benalla sheep sale for about eight years in a row with high-quality ewes.

AL & AM Mort, Mardie, Benalla, sold 176 Border Leicester/Merino ewes, May and June 2022-drop, September shorn, for $224, and 37 Border Leicester/Merino ewes, May and June 2022-drop, September shorn, West Wyalong and Riverina-blood, for $190.

"The quality was good all the way through, once you got down into the younger sheep, 13 or 14 months old, they'll take some more condition and weight if given the right feed," Mr Buitenhuis said.

"It presented the opportunity for someone with feed to take them home and put a bit of weight on them before they join them."

ML Davis sold 46 Border Leicester/Merino ewes, May and June 2022-drop, October shorn, Wealla-blood, for $180.

BJ & P Morris, Waverley, sold 151 Border Leicester/Merino ewes, May and June 2022-drop, September shorn, Poogihook and Toland blood, for $194, and 120 Border Leicester/Merino ewes, May and June 2022-drop, September shorn, Pooginook and Toland-blood, for $142.

EK & JM Bell sold 130 Border Leicester/Merino ewes, July and August 2022-drop, October shorn, Large Frame WA blood, for $150, and 64 Border Leicester/Merino ewes, July and August 2022-drop, October shorn, Large Frame WA-blood, for $150.

Cairnbank Pastoral sold 65 Border Leicester/Merino ewes, June and July 2022-drop, October shorn, Kerrin Poll blood, for $186, and 144 Border Leicester/Merino ewes, June and July 2022-drop, October shorn, SA Ewes-blood for $135.

The same vendor sold 104 Border Leicester/Merino ewes, June and July 2022-drop for $142, 147 Border Leicester/Merino ewes, May and June 2023-drop, September shorn, SA Ewes-blood, for $68, and 63 Border Leicester/Merino ewes, May and June 2023-drop, September shorn, SA Ewes-blood, for $42.

DL & JM Hansen sold 133 Border Leicester/Merino ewes, June and July 2022-drop, October shorn, Large Frame and Kamora Park-blood, for $180.

J & C Koop, Nioka, sold 138 Border Leicester/Merino ewes, July and August 2022-drop, October shorn, for $150, and 116 Border Leicester/Merino ewes, July and August 2022-drop, October shorn, East Mt Ada and Borambil-blood, for $115.

BC & AM Ring sold 170 Border Leicester/Merino ewes, June and July 2022-drop, October shorn, Woodpark-blood, for $155, and 117 Border Leicester/Merino ewes, June and July 2022-drop, October shorn, Woodpark-blood, for $130.

Yencken Pastoral sold 85 Border Leicester/Merino ewes, May and June 2022-drop, October shorn, for $90.

GA Sambrooks sold 84 White Suffolk/Merino ewes, July and August 2022-drop, November shorn, for $86.

CS & SL Burston sold 156 Poll Merino ewes, May and June 2018-drop, August shorn, for $74.

J Gilliland sold 100 Border Leicester/Merino ewes, May and June 2023-drop, Terrick West-blood, for $60.

P Drum, Eagles Nest, sold 194 Border Leicester/Merino ewes, June and July 2022-drop, September shorn, Riverina-blood, for $175.